The present invention relates to a trash container locking apparatus and method for a trash container or bin.
Owners of commercial or large size trash bins as used for businesses, stores, apartments, and the like often experience difficulty in preventing unauthorized use of the bins. Costs are increased by unauthorized individuals dumping trash in the bins. In view of this, various locking systems have been proposed in the past for preventing dumping of trash in such bins by unauthorized individuals. However, such locking systems often make it difficult for authorized users to gain access to the bin, and also cause difficulty to refuse collectors.
Some trash bins have automatic locks which release when the bin is inverted to dump trash, but re-lock automatically when the bin is returned to an upright position and the lid is closed. This is hazardous to children who may be playing in the area, as well as homeless individuals. It has been known for homeless individuals to enter a trash bin at night if the lid is left open, and then to become locked in the bin after the lid is closed. There is also a risk that children may become accidentally locked in such bins while playing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,382 of Dawdy et al. describes a locking mechanism for a refuse container which has a locking bar pivotally attached to the container and movable between a locked position preventing opening of the container lid and an open position in which it is rotated out of the way of the lid. When a locking fixture on the mechanism is engaged, the locking bar cannot be manually pivoted, but it can be pivoted by the force of a collection truck boom. The lock may be disengaged by a key allowing manual pivoting of the locking bar into the open position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,724 of Serio describes a U-shaped locking member which is pivoted to the side walls of a container. The member pivots over the lid in order to lock the lid closed. A locking mechanism holds the U-shaped member in this position.
Other trash bin locking systems are known which involve a bar pivotally mounted on the container and rotatable between a position extending over the lid to hold it closed, and a position rotated down against the front wall of the container, leaving the lid free to open. The bar is normally locked by a padlock or the like in the closed position. A problem with such a system is that the bar pivots freely when released, such that when the bin is inverted to dump trash into a trash truck, the bar will tend to drop down and get in the way of the lid or the trash itself. Also, such a system is still subject to the risk of homeless individuals entering the bin to sleep if the lid is left open, and then closing the lid. Authorized individuals may then rotate the bar over the lid and lock it in place, trapping the person in the trash bin.
Another problem with bar locking systems is that trash bins come in various sizes, so that the bars must be custom-made for the specific containers or must be adjustable to accommodate different container sizes. In one known system, separate left and right arms are provided for pivotally mounting on opposite side walls of a trash container adjacent the lid and the front end wall. One of the arms has an opening for alignment with a padlock holder when rotated into a locked position. The on-site installer must first attach the arms to the opposite ends of the container, and then cut a pipe to the desired length for spanning the front wall of the container between the free ends of the two arms. At that point, the pipe must be welded to the arms. This is a fairly labor intensive process which is subject to error. It also has the problem that the pipe will be free to flop around, potentially catching on the lid and preventing it from opening, when the container is inverted in order to dump trash.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved locking apparatus and method for a trash container.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a locking apparatus for releasably securing the lid of a trash container is provided, which comprises an arm having a central portion and first and second coplanar end portions each bent perpendicular to the central portion, first and second pivot brackets for mounting on opposite side walls of a trash container adjacent an open, upper end of the container, each pivot bracket having a pivot pin for pivotally connecting the respective end portion to the bracket, whereby the arm is rotatable between a first, open position in which the central portion extends across a front wall of the container and a second, locked position in which the end portions extend upwardly and the arm extends over a lid closing the open upper end of the container, the central portion having an adjustable length for spanning the front wall of different size containers.
In an exemplary embodiment, a locking device is provided for locking the arm in the second position. This may comprise a flange projecting from one end portion which engages through an opening in a locking plate for mounting on the respective side wall of the container, the flange having an opening for receiving a padlock for locking the arm in the locked, second position. Additionally, a second locking device may be provided for locking the arm in the first, open position. The arm end portion will have a second lock flange suitably positioned to project through an opening in a second locking bracket or plate positioned on the container side wall when the arm is rotated into the open position. The same padlock may then be used to lock the arm in the open position.
In this way, the lock arm is locked in either the open or the closed position. When locked in the open position, it will not be free to pivot when the container is inverted in order to dump trash into a trash truck, so that it will not impede this process. After the trash is dumped, the operator will not be able to rotate the arm back into the closed or locked position until they have opened and removed the padlock, making it more likely that they will remember to re-lock the arm in the closed position. This will help to prevent unauthorized dumping of trash, and will also prevent children or homeless individuals from entering the container and potentially becoming imprisoned there accidentally. The padlock may be of the type which will not release the key unless the padlock is re-locked, such that the trash truck driver will necessarily have to re-lock the arm in order to retain his or her key. The same will be true of authorized users of the trash container, making it less likely that they will forget to re-lock the arm in position after use.
The pivot brackets may comprise U-shaped bars, with one end welded to the container, and a pivot pin secured between the opposite ends of the bar. The arm may be made of metal pipe, which the pipe ends are flattened and provided with openings which are pivotally engaged over the respective pivot pins between the ends of the U-shaped pivot brackets. This provides better support for the pivot attachment, and also provides for some free play of the locking arm by sliding back and forth along the respective pivot pins. In prior art pivot attachments which have no such free play, jamming or binding of the arm may occur if it is deformed or bent as a result of impacts, which tend to happen fairly frequently in trash dumping operations.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the central portion of the arm is divided into two halves, each half having an end, and a central sleeve into which the end of each half of the arm extends. This allows for telescopic adjustment of the length of the central portion when the apparatus is installed on a container. Once the central portion is at the correct length for spanning the front wall of the container, the two halves of the arm are welded at the adjusted position in the sleeve. In an alternative arrangement, the central portion may be split into two halves, with the end of one half being of larger diameter, and the end of the other half telescopically engaged in the end of the first half. The provision of the arm or pipe in two or more pieces will also facilitate shipping of the apparatus.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of locking a trash container is provided, which comprises:
pivotally mounting a locking arm adjacent the front end wall and upper end opening of a trash container such that the arm can be pivoted between a first open position extending across the front end wall and a second position extending across the closed lid of the container to prevent opening of the lid;
providing a first locking device for locking the locking arm in the first, open position;
providing a second locking device for locking the locking arm in the second position;
engaging the first locking device to lock the arm in the open position in order to dump trash from the container, whereby the lid is free to open when the container is inverted; and
engaging the second locking device to lock the arm in the second position when the container is returned to the upright position and after trash is dumped in the container.
The locking apparatus of this invention will reduce the risk of individuals accidentally being locked in a trash container, since users of the container will be more likely to lock the arm in the closed position. Additionally, locking of the arm in the open position will avoid the problem of a free swinging lock bar impeding the trash dumping operation when the container is inverted by a trash truck. The overall apparatus is relatively simple to install and inexpensive.